PHP MySQL - Stilson.net

www.it-ebooks.infoC H A P T E R 29• • •Securing MySQLIt’s become a natural reaction: when exiting your home or automobile, you take a moment to lock thedoors and set the alarm. You do so because you know that the possibility of items being stolendramatically increases if you do not take such rudimentary yet effective precautions. Ironically, the ITindustry at large seems to take the opposite approach. Despite the prevalence of intellectual propertytheft and damage within corporate IT systems, many developers continue to invest minimal time andeffort into creating secure computing environments.■ Note Malicious attacks aren’t the only cause of data damage or destruction. Far too many developers andadministrators choose to work with accounts possessing privileges far exceeding what is required. Eventually acommand is executed which never should have been permissible in the first place, resulting in serious damage.This chapter shows you how to avoid such mishaps.This chapter introduces several key aspects of MySQL’s configuration and highly effective securitymodel. In particular, this chapter describes MySQL’s user privilege system in great detail, showing youhow to create users, manage privileges, and change passwords. Additionally, MySQL’s secure (SSL)connection feature is introduced. You’ll also learn how to place limitations on user resourceconsumption. After completing this chapter, you should be familiar with the following topics:• Steps to take immediately after starting the mysqld daemon for the first time• How to secure the mysqld daemon• MySQL’s access privilege system• The GRANT and REVOKE functions• User account management• Creating secure MySQL connections with SSLLet’s start at the beginning: what you should do before doing anything else with your MySQLdatabase server.557